The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam

Abstract

In this paper, the author presents the Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, one of the most important legal acts on human rights adopted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Cairo in 1990. Although this Declaration pretends to improve the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it must be stated that it is acceptable only in countries with a population of Islamic faiths. What most threatens the universality of its application is its deep-rootedness and literal dependence on Sharia law. The article briefly describes all the rights and freedoms mentioned in the Cairo Declaration. At first glance, this Declaration provides protection and guarantees many human rights, even more than the Universal Declaration, but all these rights must be in accordance with Sharia law. This mandatory compliance with Sharia law often makes senseless and restrains the real protection of guaranteed rights. Both positive and negative thoughts and views on the Cairo Declaration are presented, depending on whether theorists of Islamic religions or Western countries have written about it. No matter how you look at it, this Declaration will make sense and will be valid only in Muslim countries, without any possibilities to apply it in some other countries.